The professionals at Murphy and Garner, LLC have been representing truck accident victims in Bremen for more than three decades, and we know what victims should do — and what they shouldn’t do — after an accident. As we discussed recently here on our Bremen personal injury law blog, the challenges associated with car accidents can be multiplied many times over when one of the vehicles involved is a tractor-trailer.
First of all, don’t let a negligent truck driver get away without calling the police. Obviously, police can take accident scene photos and eyewitness accounts which may prove invaluable to you later in a personal injury lawsuit. They can also detect whether a truck driver is fit to be driving. If the truck driver is intoxicated or drowsy from driving longer hours than legally permitted, not only will the police account or DUI test be further evidence on your behalf, but the police will keep the truck driver from getting back behind the wheel and causing another accident.
While police accident scene data is important evidence, you shouldn’t rely on it exclusively. Take your own photos if you have a smartphone, and take notes describing what you see. Try to note any license plate numbers of other cars that may have been present at the accident, so that Murphy and Garner can try to identify and reach out to those drivers for their descriptions of what happened. Your own damaged vehicle is also valuable evidence, so don’t let it get taken away to be totaled.
Finally, don’t agree to anything with the driver’s or the truck company’s insurer, and don’t sign any paperwork they give you, until you have consulted with Murphy and Garner. You may inadvertently be giving up your rights to full compensation for your losses in the accident. Our firm’s only interest is fighting on your behalf, and our decades of experience translate into a better shot at compensation for our car crash and tractor-trailer accident clients.
